Side Character
by The Dark Flair
Summary: It's a fact of life. If you aren't a main character, nobody gives a rat's ass about you. Zemyx.


**Side Character**

"Where the fuck are you?" I mutter to myself as I check my watch for the umpteenth time. He's late. True, there was no previously agreed upon time for us to meet, which I now realize and feel stupid for expecting him to show up on time. There's no set time. I'm usually good about these things so why didn't I set a time!

Meet me at the coffee shop tomorrow, I said. God, I'm an idiot…

The bell over the door dings and a disheveled looking blond stumbles in with a large red envelope and a duffel bag. As soon as he spots me, he smiles and rushes over. "It's _really_ windy outside!" he laughs. It's a sound so full of mirth; full of life. I find myself smiling despite my quickly deteriorating emotional stability.

"Hello Demyx. You're early," I lie. I think. There wasn't a fucking time!

He raises an eyebrow at me. "I'm half an hour late. But it's only because I was picking up some stuff from the store for you. I saw it and immediately thought of you."

He thought of me? He spent his money on me? Wait, there was a _time!?_

"I thought we agreed to six for some reason," I lie again. "You're okay. I just want to talk to you about something that's been bothering me."

Demyx, my sort of secret best friend, nods. "I figured. Hurry up and tell me so I can give you the shits."

The shits. It's like his catchphrase or something. I still don't completely know what it means, but I know what _he_ means when he uses it.

I inhale deeply, crossing my legs at the ankles. "My mom has another job opportunity across the country. If she takes it, we'll have to move next weekend and I'll be starting my junior year in Traverse Town Prep. She said I get to decide if we make the move or not."

Demyx's smile falters for a second. "Okay…? And you told her you're gonna stay, right?" I shake my head. Demyx's smile disappears. "But…Zex, you _want_ to move?"

I nod. "I've talked to the headmaster and she says she'd love to have me. Apparently, I'd be great for their Biophysics and Biochemistry programs that they have. If I go into those programs, I'll be guaranteed a spot in HBU. And you know I've always wanted to go there."

He looks completely hurt. I expected him to be happy for me. "Why do you have to go across the country to be guaranteed a spot in a university that's five hours away? You can just stay here and do what you've been doing. Shit, why didn't you discuss this with me?"

"That's what I'm trying to do right now-"

"This isn't a discussion. You've already made your decision and you're telling me what it is. I wanted you to actually sit down and talk with me before you made your final decision."

I shrug, pushing my hair out of my eye. It only falls right back into place "I'm sorry. I just wanted you to know before I let my mother know."

His seafoam green eyes drift down to the table top. "Is college the only reason you're leaving?" he asks softly.

Honestly?

"No…it isn't. I don't feel like I fit in here. After two years of living here, I know this isn't my kind of town. Traverse Town is. I know because I've been there and I really like it."

"And…?" Demyx nearly growls.

He knows me so well. That scares me. "And no matter what I do, I just don't feel important. Nobody here recognizes talent. It's all about money and fashion and who's sleeping with whom at some guy's party. Traverse Town is in the top five of the smartest places in the country."

"Why do you need to _feel_ smart? Everyone knows you are. You are important. When it comes to academics, _you're_ the one everyone talks about. You just want to leave your friends behind because you _feel_ unappreciated?"

"Demyx, how often do you discuss academics with your other friends?"

He goes silent. His ears go red, which I know for a fact only happens when he's upset. It's his whole face when he's embarrassed and his cheeks when he thinks of someone romantically. "I don't talk about academics with them."

"My point. If you don't-"

"I talk about you," he blurts. "I talk about how bad I want you to be valedictorian because you deserve it. I talk about how it isn't fair that Larxene cheated to be where she is; how you could easily outscore her on any test if she had no more ways of cheating. I talk about how smart and awesome you are so much that my friends literally get sick of it."

Whoa. I know I matter to Demyx to some degree, or else he wouldn't be talking to me. But I never knew I mattered this much. I would've thought that he'd talk about getting high and making music all the time.

"I'm…sorry, Demyx. I didn't know you-"

"I quit smoking for you. I've been sober for a month and a half because you told me I should stop...and now you wanna _leave_ me?"

His hands are shaking. My decision is really tearing him up. I wish I'd have known.

"Dem-?"

"How can you just up and leave, Zexion? How can you make that decision when there are people here who care about you?"

"I'm sorry, okay!? I'm sorry for wanting a better education and a better life!" I shout, catching the attention of the whole shop. I duck from their inquisitive gazes and lean towards him. "I offer my sincerest apologies. But I'm not changing my mind. My decision is final."

Demyx nods, but I can tell it's one of those sarcastic nods. Like the ones I give him when I'm pretending to agree with one of his off-the-wall theories about purgatory or where waste _really_ goes when you flush the toilet. "Okay."

"Okay…?"

His bottom lip curls up in anger as he nods again. He looks at me, but avoids my eyes. " _Okay_." I watch as he drops the envelope and the duffel bag on the table. "You already have it in your mind that you want to leave. So leave. I'm not going to waste my time giving a shit," he hisses as he gets up and storms out of the shop.

It takes all the willpower I have not to run after him. I want to leave and that's that.

The duffel bag remains in its spot. I slowly reach out and pull it into my lap. It's heavy. I unzip it to find a laptop. It isn't any laptop, but the cover has a picture of me and Demyx on it.

He custom made it. Now I feel like shit.

I quickly grab the envelope and open it up.

 _Hey Zex,_

 _I remember one time you told me you felt like a side character. You said side characters were stupid and useless just like sidekicks. Even still, I befriended your pessimistic ass._

That's not pessimism at all. It's a fact of life. If you aren't a main character, nobody gives a rat's ass about you.

 _But you know what I should've said that day? I like Mario Bros. When I play, I always look for the chance to see Luigi. Luigi is the guy we barely see because Mario's being an asshole and hogging all of the lime light. Mario, Mario, Mario. Shit, why the fuck can't we dedicate a game or, like, seven to Luigi and his evil counterpart?_

I laugh. There is a game for Luigi, I believe. Don't think to many people play it.

 _I like Luigi because he's not going around being a narcissistic, fat fuck. And…I like YOU because you're not obsessed with material things. You judge people, but not by their covers like I do. You're real with me like no one else has ever been. You have a soft side that only I get the pleasure of seeing. That makes me feel special._

 _You make me feel…special. I have your affection, even though it's probably just on a brotherly level. I was hoping one day we could be more than best friends. You know, take it a step further? If not, that's totally cool! I'll understand completely and never bother you again._

 _Just let me know, alright? No mater what, you'll still be my Luigi._

 _Dem._

Damn, damn, _damn!_

What the fuck have I done?

Wiping the tears I didn't know were falling, I pull out my phone and call my mother. She picks up on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Mom, I need to ask you a serious question."

"What is it?"

"Would it be okay if…if you left and I stayed? I'll be old enough to work next month and my friend can stay and pay the other half of the bills."

"That isn't possible, Zexion. I have to stay with you until you're at least seventeen."

I wipe my eyes again. "Then I want to stay here. I'm needed here and I can't just up and leave."

I'm sorry, Demyx. I'll never make another decision without consulting you again.

* * *

 **How was that? I haven't written Zemyx since TFOU and I think I'm improving. Also, Happy early Valentine's Day!**


End file.
